Kay's Korner - A Knitters Notes

Yes, I am both an avid and prolific knitter. Even before I began teaching at Rare Purls, I always had several projects on my needles and this has been going on for many, many years. Even with all of my experience, I spend a fair amount of time ripping out my work. Ripping, frogging, whatever you want to call it, is when you take your working yarn end and unravel stitches to remove an error. Anyone who knits or crochets long enough will experience the aggravation of pulling out hours (and sometimes hours and hours) of work, to make our knitting the best it can be. It helps to maintain a good humor if ripping is considered a part of the process. Personally, I think that "rip" is an acronym for "rectifying imperfect pieces." Of course, no one enjoys watching row after row of stitching go up in string, so my New Year's resolution is to rip less in 2010. Perhaps you, too, think this is a worthy goal and if so, perhaps these tips will help both of us on the road to happier knitting.

Even though I always implore knitters at the shop to read through their entire pattern before casting on, this step is often skipped. The urge to knit can be strong and little details like pattern instructions can seem tedious. Please, do not let enthusiasm trump good practices. I once had to eventually reknit nearly an entire sweater and half of the problem was not reading ahead in the pattern. That the other half of the problem was the dear designer's notion that I could read her mind is a story for another day. Had I not been so enamored with both the yarn and design, the project would have been scrapped. Please do not be ambushed by the words "at the same time" or "see designer's notes." The dear designer is trying to lead you to success and she is giving some words to the wise. For example, knit pattern pieces in the order given. There is a reason why sleeves are knitted first in a striped pullover (so the stripes will match across the shoulders) and seaming is accomplished in a particular progression. Trusting your designer and following her lead can save hours of reknitting and perhaps, on occasion, your sanity.

Another habit that leads to ripping is an improper gauge swatch or completely skipping the gauge swatch. Only a couple of weeks ago, one of our loyal customers, a lovely woman, had knit her sweater back only to find it nearly double the size she had intended to knit. Yes, she had knit a gauge swatch, but she had overlooked that the swatch was to be knit in garter stitch, rather than the usual stockinette. This error had made her heftier yarn seem a good substitute and the outcome was a torrential Rip! She did not know that designers usually instruct that the swatch be knit up in the predominate stitch pattern, which can be anything from stockinette to cables, lace, or ribbing. Another swatch that can lead you down the road to disaster is one too small. Gauge swatches should be a minimum of 4 inches by 4 inches. When only an inch or two are measured, it is difficult to be accurate. Those fractions of stitches can really add up when knitting, especially in a large garment. For example, if one knits a 2" X 2" gauge and gets 8¼ stitches per 2 inches, if that ¼ stitch is overlooked in a sweater with a chest that measures 48 inches, that fraction of a stitch can reap a 6 inch difference in the finished garment. In a 4" X 4" swatch, most probably the gauge will be seen as 16 ½ stitches to 4 inches. Half stitches usually receive notice, especially since now you know they should. In the 2" x 2" swatch, the smaller fraction will most probably be overlooked, leaving the recipient swimming in extra wool and your pocketbook a bit slimmer. Remember, the bigger the yarn, the bigger an error in gauge will be.

By far, the practices that cause the most ripping are knitting when tired, stressed, or distracted. I cannot count the number of times when I have knit feverishly into the wee hours of the morning in an effort to complete a project and woke up to the horror of terrible knitting. Rip! Or when I try to multitask by watching a movie and knitting a lace project with shaping. Rip! Or the awful outcome of tipsy knitting. Rip, rip! Save projects with rows and rows of garter or stockinette to keep your hands happy during these times. You just cannot come out ahead in a project when the next day, most of your progress must be ripped.

As far as those times when we do the best we can and still our project leaves us most unhappy, please do not stuff it in a bag and stash it away, never again to see the light of day. Rip! Salvage the yarn for use in a more worthy project. One friend knit an entire sweater and on finishing, knew it would fit no one she knew. It was a gorgeous hand knit, perfect in every way, except that it was really very large. The finished bust measurement in her pattern had been more than generous for the stated size. Although not an outlandish investment, why waste all that yummy cotton/alpaca blend? I truly admired her courage as she Ripped! out her many rows of work. We are practicing an art, not a science, and there are so many variables. Though ripping is certainly something we want to avoid, isn't it wonderful that our work is not etched in stone?

Happy Knitting!

Kay Mather
Copyright 2010

On Kay's Needles
Oh yes, I have been snared by the late Christmas present snafu. I was so sure that I could finish my sister's mittens and hubby's vest by C-day. Thankfully, the mittens were delivered timely and I have a wonderful husband, so all the consternation over his late gift is mine alone. Now, let me get back to my knitting, so the vest is sure to be finished by Bill's birthday, January 5.

At my knitting group, the Noble Knitters, there are always a few crafters knitting socks. Until you actually knit a pair, the appeal of sock knitting isn't so apparent. Why spend $10 to $25 to knit socks when discount and department stores have oodles of pairs for a fraction of the price? First, the wide variety of sock yarns give us an abundance of color options and fibers. Hand knit socks can be as unique as a fingerprint. Also, socks can be knit in fair isle, solids, lace patterns, cables, or basic ribbings, choices not available in store bought varieties. Hand knit socks are a fairly quick knit, very portable, and very enjoyable. They make great gifts, but surely you will want to keep a few pairs for yourself.

When first exploring sock knitting, it is important to learn about the commonly used materials. Sock yarns fall into the #1 category on the yarn standards (yarnstandards.com) chart. That is they are usually knit on size 1-3 US needles with 27 to 32 inch stitches per 4 inches. But sock knitting need not be limited to fingering weight yarns. For socks to brave very cold weather and hiking boots, worsted weight yarn can be used with an appropriately gauged pattern. DK weight or #3 yarns are considered "heavy weight" sock yarns and medium weight usually falls into the #2 or sport yarn category. You can choose whichever weight yarn suits your needs and dive right in. Personally, I prefer fingering weight, as the socks knitted with this yarn are not so bulky as to make my favorite loafers too snug.

When choosing a sock yarn, the fiber or blend of fibers used to spin the yarn determines not only the look and the hand, but also the laundering method of the finished socks. My preference is a machine washable (superwash) wool blend that includes 20% nylon for durability. Bamboo, soy, alpaca, wool, nylon and cotton can all be used in sock yarn fiber blends giving a variety of desirable characteristics. Currently, self striping and self patterning yarns are all the rage and hand painted sock yarns are flying off the shelves. Expect to see some beautiful, colorful, hand knit socks worn with both tie up shoes and sandals this summer. The cotton blend sock yarns are absorbent and comfortable, even when the temperature is in the 90's.

There are several techniques available when choosing a basic sock pattern. You may use double point needles (dpn's), two circular needles, or one circular needle with a 40 inch cord. When using dpn's, the stitches are divided on multiple needles, usually four, and worked with a fifth needle. Each needle takes a turn being the working needle as the stitches are worked in the round. My favorite technique utilizes two 16-29 inch circular needles. One needle works why the other rests, working one side of the stitches, then the other, when working in the round. The magic loop technique uses the cord to separate parts of the round and makes it possible to knit both socks simultaneously. There are an abundance of books on sock knitting, some available teaching the various techniques. I suggest that you choose a technique and a simple basic pattern for starters. Eventually, you may want to experiment with all of the different techniques. They all have their strengths and all make beautiful socks.

Yes, sock knitting is a creative, practical, portable, and just plain fun project. The next installment of Kay's Korner will explore basic sockitecture and the two circulars method of sock knitting, based on Cat Bordhi's book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.

Happy knitting!

Copyright Kay Mather 2009

In 2008, designer Elsebeth Lavold introduced Calm Wool to her yarn collection. Of course, as a buyer for Rare Purls, I am always quick to order any yarn with Lavold's name as they are always top quality and have her wonderful pattern support. As a favorite bulky luxury yarn had been discontinued, initially I thought Calm Wool might be a good replacement. But the fat, lofty appearance of this yarn is deceiving; it is not a true bulky weight yarn. Most of the patterns call for a size #7 US needle, putting this yarn in the aran or worsted weight category on the yarn standards chart. Even the yardage, 82 yards /50 grams, is comparable to many bulky yarns. But if you choose this yarn as a substitute, you will want to stay close to the suggested gauge. The two lofty plies knit into stitches with character. Simple seed stitch has beautiful definition and cables are plump with distinct edges. Even a simple garter ridge visually pops next to rows of stockinette.

But beautiful stitches aren't the only reason to choose Calm Wool for your next cool-cold weather project. The camel/alpaca/wool blend is marvelously soft, characteristic of high quality camelid fibers. If any of you are old enough to remember the highly regarded camel hair coats of the mid 20th century , camel fiber is both soft and durable, truly a fabulous exotic, luxury fiber. I'm also a huge fan of alpaca, adoring its soft hand and highly insulating qualities. I suspect the wool has been added for elasticity, as no fiber equals the crimp of wool. The end result of this balanced fiber blend is a yarn that exceeds my every expectation.

Lavold's pattern book, Touch of Romance, where Calm Wool and another new yarn, Bambool, are featured, is also a success. (I will review Bambool at a later date). The nine designs knit in Calm Wool are appealing, especially Phoebe, the sweater coat with an easy stitch pattern that delivers both textural interest and visual impact. Imogen, a versatile vest is classic fashion and Lady, a pet sweater, is simply charming. The mens pullover, Cameron, is possibly the most handsome mens sweater I have ever seen. Masculine details (Lavold was inspired by barbed wire when designing the stitch motifs), a textbook use of relief, and this wonderful yarn team for design success.

This yarn is truly imspiring. Already I am busy designing an accessory set knit using two colors of Calm Wool. The twelve debut colors mix and match well, all of similar saturation (Hopefully, Ms. Lavold will give us a striped sweater in an upcoming book, capitalizing on these agreeable colors.) Consider using it for accessories or your next cabled sweater. You will simply love the way this natural fiber blend delights both visually and tactilely. It is easy to get excited about Calm Wool.

On Kay's Needles

For the past couple of weeks, I have been knitting a mixed bag. I finished half of a summer shell in an easy diagonal stockinette, knit in Laines du Nord Zahir, a ribbon yarn of silk/cotton. The colorway of lovely spring pastels will be perfect with white slacks, a summertime staple. The fabric has great texture, yet is very light and airy, sure to be cool and comfortable casual wear. I started a student on a garter stitch wrap in this same yarn, but on #13 US needles for a lacier look. It is always interesting to see how different projects turn out using the same yarn.

Even still, I am continuing the reknit of Happy, from Elsebeth Lavold's Book 11, The Sunny Side Collection. Having ripped and began the reknit with a needle two sizes down from the original, the stretching problem has been eliminated using the tighter gauge. I am nearly finished with this warm weather pullover and have to admit that although I adore both the yarn, Hempathy, and the design, I will be happy when Happy is no longer in my knitting bag.

Copyright Kay Mather Rare Purls 2009

Little ones enjoy the soft caress of hand knits, just as we do. Knitting for infants, toddlers, and growing children is a popular pastime. Whether booties, blankets, hats, toys, or togs, these smaller projects knit up quickly and make wonderful gifts. Here are a few tips to make these hand made treasures darling, durable, and well received.

First, natural fibers are not purely a luxury for wee knits. Wool remains warm and comfy even when damp and is so soft next to young skin. I choose superwash wool for children's blankets and clothing to keep knitted wool's wonderful qualities, yet be kind to busy moms on wash day. If the child is said to be sensitive to wool, cottons, cotton blends, soy, bamboo, and rayon are all excellent options. Avoid acrylic yarns for when exposed to extreme heat or fire, they melt! Need I say more?

It isn't necessary to limit your projects to baby yarns. Any quality yarn of the desired weight will work for children's knits and using them opens up a world of colorful options. What I call crayon colors - think of that box of 16 colors - look darling on toddlers. Babies also look charming in navy with white or cream trim or soft grays with pink trim. Red, white, and blue is always cute on toddlers as well as pumpkin and greens. I do avoid black and metallics, saving this drama for teens. I also avoid pure white, except for trims. Children's clothing gets lots of wear and washing and no mom wants to clothe her little munchkin in dingy white. An ivory christening ensemble is precious.

Be aware that babies have large heads and very small necks. Be sure to make neck edgings flexible and pullover items with adequate neck openings. Buttons are darling, but be sure they can not be easily removed and cause a choking hazard. Zippers and Velcro closures are handy; i-cord ties add whimsy. Snaps are popular on children's clothing, but I suggest sewing them first to grosgrain ribbon or bias tape before anchoring them to knit fabric.

As you know, little ones grow like little sprouts! If you make clothes with built in grow room, you increase the wear of your hand knit. Sleeves can be turned up for a cuff at first, then worn down when the child grows. Same goes for pant legs. A toddler's tunic can be a sweater later on, with a bit of planning. If items are knit top down, a snip of a single stitch will reveal live stitches, making it possible to add length to bottom edges of any garment. Use your imagination.

Do avoid knitting that will tangle up little fingers. Fair isle floats inside sleeves and mittens do not make for easy toddler dressing. The same holds true for lace and openwork stitch patterns. Reserve these techniques for yokes and hems. Keep ties short to avoid a choking hazard.

Finally, mom's and dad's always appreciate a hand knit for their wee ones, but if it is the child who you are aiming to delight, try knitting a stuffed animal or some other toy. For years my son had a strong attachment to a hand made pillow, where some toddlers love a special blankie. With intarsia or sewn on patches, a favorite hero, pictures of common items like simple sailboats or a big strawberry, and cartoon characters can be incorporated on handknits to make them more personalized. Steer clear of using the child's name on any embellishment. Although it is cute to see "Bobby" or "Zoe" on a sweater, a stranger can seem to be a friend when they approach a child knowing their name.

Copyright Kay Mather 2009

This year, I am adding hand made socks to my gift list. Socks are a wardrobe staple and, if knit well fitting, warm, and attractive, they are truly an earthly delight. With the abundance of sock patterns and yarns available, it is easy to match a perfect pair to everyone on your list. As the yarn requirement is usually 100 grams or less, socks are quite an affordable gift. Although I remember that not so many years ago, I thought making socks was only for the experienced knitter, with the written assistance of Cat Bordhi and Kate Gilbert, I am now able to tackle basic socks worry free and more complex pairs with the confidence that comes with understanding basic concepts.

A sock is comprised of but a few components: the leg portion, the heel, the gusset (really the only part that is a bit tricky), the foot, and the toe. Socks do have a goodly amount of shaping for their size, but once that shaping is learned, all socks are variations on the same structure. Many of the women at my weekly knitting circle, the Noble Knitters, knit socks from memory. The outcome is an attractive and practical gift, whether for oneself or some other lucky person.

My ambition this holiday season is to give every man on my list a pair of socks. I mean, who doesn't need more socks?! Even basic sock patterns look quite impressive with the widely available self patterning yarns. Sock yarns are currently one of the most popular specialty yarns on the market. Manufacturers are formulating yarns that all but assure success, from self striping to mimicking fair aisle, from kettle dyed to deep solids, and most are spun in easy care superwash fibers. The addition of luxury fibers ensure an accessory that is not only appealing to the eye, but even more delightful to wear. These yarns are hard core indulgence.

A recent delivery to Rare Purls included a bag of Classic Elite Alpaca Sox. Though sock yarns come in every color of the rainbow and a multitude of combinations, this color batch was named simply "Wren", a perfect, lofty blend of ashy medium brown with muted enhancing tones - just lovely! Alpaca Sox is super soft due to the high alpaca content and durable from the addition of 20% nylon, a must to ensure a long wearing sock. Most sock yarns are spun in superwash wool and come in a standard 4 ply or the more bulky 6 ply. Although wool is the standard, blends containing silk, alpaca, and even soy are available. Some yarns come with additional fine yarn to work in the soles, but my preference is to work the bottom of the foot in a more dense gauge using a needle a size smaller than the rest of the sock. This fortifying technique is a breeze when using the socks on two circulars method, but is also easily achieved with double point needles. The outcome is a sock that will withstand both wear and the test of time. After all, whatever lucky person gets these handsome tootsie huggers will want to wear them any time they are clean. With this in mind, a drawer full of hand knit socks would not be too many, making this the perfect gift year after year.

Other ideas for man pleasing gifts projects are cowls, ski hats, gloves, and ties. All require only modest amounts of yarn, which gives you the option of splurging on the good stuff! A cashmere scarf is a truly luxurious accessory, even when knit in a simple stitch pattern, and ties knit in quality sock yarn can be quite dashing. But in my book? Nothing says love quite like a gift of super soft, hand knit socks.

Copyright Kay Mather 2008